wonderwall
by sruoh
Summary: Alfred F. Jones meets Matthew Williams. Things probably won't be the same again.
1. today is gonna be the day

I'm still trying to figure out what I want from this, so expect updates to be sporadic. I have a rough idea that involves ghosts and debts and redemption.

Bear in mind, this is entirely AU. Also, title is subject to change maybe.

And some errors I miss.

Hetalia doesn't belong to me.

* * *

They meet at midnight on a bridge. It's cold, colder than usual but this strange blonde boy wearing clothes not suited for the weather was standing there with his elbows rested on the railing, watching the water rush past.

Alfred just wanted to step outside for a bit, really. It was stuffy and hot in his too small apartment and he just needed to get out. He wasn't really expecting to see this strange person out there, and he worries, just a bit.

He carefully approaches, and calls out, his voice booming compared to the quiet of the park.

"You alright? Aren't planning to jump, are you?"

He feels kind of stupid, just standing there watching this person watch the river. The blonde man turns slightly, and he sees a smile, and he looks fairly young, but his eyes are so, so old. Alfred is stunned for a moment, and barely registers what he says.

"There are better ways, you know." The blonde man says, as if it was a fact. "But no, I'm not. Too much to do, so little time to wallow in self-pity. Are you?" And he says it so casually as if death was his best friend. Alfred swallows, and shrugs.

"No, I'm pretty content with life right now. I'm just out for a walk." Alfred finds himself gravitating towards this man, taking place beside him and he smiles. "I'm Alfred, by the way. Alfred F. Jones." And he hears the man laugh, just before he could hide it behind a cough.

"Are you the type to just give out your name to complete strangers? Do you just lurk around at night trying to make new friends with the people who wander around here, because if you do I'd advise you not to, there are scary people around."

Alfred nods, as if he understood. A stupid grin managed to slip onto his face and he catches himself staring. The wind blows, and he shudders.

"You know its common courtesy to give your name back after I have given mine."

"I'm still Matthew Williams, so you didn't technically give me your name. You just _told _me it." Matthew, what a fitting name and he could almost feel it roll off his tongue. Instead of the aching need to repeat it under his breath, he chooses to smirk.

"How cheeky, Matthew Williams. You're strange person you are, I wouldn't have normally approached you, any other time." And Alfred finds himself lying, but he shrugs it off and he could hear Matthew shift without even looking, though he was, just slightly.

"Why did you?"

"'Cause it's late and I might not be making the best choices right now."

This was true, on Alfred's part, because he was tired, even though he was filled with energy to burn before the walk. He hears Matthew chuckle, elbow accidentally knocking into his because of his slightly shaking shoulders. He wonders what was so funny, but he chuckles along anyway.

"I don't have that excuse; I've made all the wrong choices long ago. I've just run out of options, so this couldn't possibly be any worse" Matthew is still chuckling slightly when he says that and Alfred can't really wrap his head around it.

"So that's why you're talking to me, 'cause I'm the last choice?"

Matthew pauses, and shrugs. "No not really, it's just that I need to take more risks in life. You know what they say, seize the day and all. You seem like a pretty nice guy and all, too, quite foxy." Matthew winks, and Alfred turns his head away quickly, ears turning red.

Alfred bites his lip and shifts on his feet, and a silence falls over them. It's a weird thing, he doesn't feel uncomfortable. He feels safe and the slight heat radiating off of Matthew is nice and he wants to shift over slightly.

Which he does, seize the day and all.

So, there they stand, two strange blonde men knocking elbows and hips touching and the cold bitter wind brushing past.

Alfred thinks it's the start of something beautiful. He isn't the type of dreaming up romances, but this whole thing was nice, and he wants more from it. He wants to grab Matthew Williams by his hands and run and scream and yell and laugh because he feels like it's love at first sight even though that's silly. What he's feeling might as well be platonic, but it's there.

Matthew thinks that this whole encounter will be just one big hassle, because he's already interested, and time is almost up for him.

Everything has always been a complicated matter.


	2. bloody hell, mate

_I finally have a rough idea of what I want. Sort of. Sorry this update was super late, and kind of short, but school was totally kicking my ass, and I wasn't about to go down. Next update will probably be a bit longer, and be out soon. You get a slight idea of what Matthew's background is for this chapter, but in reality, it's still pretty vague._

_Also, some swearing in this chapter._

_I do not own Hetalia._

* * *

Alfred was the first one to pull back, already missing Matthew by his side. His arms go around himself, and he wishes that he brought a heavier jacket. He can feel himself sway on his feet, not realizing how tired he was until now, and he smiles a lazy smile.

"It's getting late, and I'm falling asleep on my feet. I hope you don't mind me heading off now."

Matthew turns around, resting his elbows on the railing, and he nods. "No, I don't mind, go ahead." He straightens, and nods towards a random direction. "I should get going as well. It was nice meeting you, Alfred F. Jones." He turns to leave, hands getting stuffed into the pockets of his jeans.

Alfred opens his mouth, calling out for him. "Matthew, is there any way I can contact you?"

Matthew stops, and turns around, shrugging his shoulders casually. "Maybe."

Alfred huffs slightly, not quite liking the way Matthew was being so damn casual. Alfred wasn't too keen on being led on, and this little game Matthew is playing makes Alfred want him more. They have only spoke for a few minutes and he's already smitten with this strange blonde man. He crosses his arms, biting his lip, he looked up at Matthew with pleading eyes.

"Please, Matt?"

Matthew frowned, not pleased with Alfred's nickname for him. What right did this man have to call him that? He remembers a time long ago when he was called by that name, by a man whose face he couldn't quite get a hang of, blurred and faded like an old photograph. He shook his head and glares at Alfred.

"You know what? Here's my number. Don't call too much, now." Matthew winks, and Alfred smiles his crooked smile. He fumbles for a pen, and was glad he had an array of stuff in his pockets. He quickly rips off a section of a receipt, and hands it to Matthew, who smiles and quickly jots down a number.

Matthew hands back the paper, and Alfred's smile is too big for his face. He is careful not to wrinkle the already messed up paper, and he laughs. "Don't go thinking I do this all the time now, you're a special case, you are."

Matthew rolled his eyes, and turned on his heel. He gave one last smile to Alfred, before walking away, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans.

Alfred watched as he walked, until he went past the trees and past a corner on the street. Alfred bit his lip, and looked down at the slip of paper in his hands.

He instantly frowned, and ripped up the piece.

The _fucking _number he got was the pizza place down the street.

That little bubble of happiness was soon popped, and he grumbled and moaned until he got back to his damned tiny apartment, with Matthew still smiling in his head.

* * *

Matthew still had Alfred smiling in his head. He groaned and banged his head against the concrete wall outside the cheap motel he was staying at. Light was seeping into the sky, and he had stood outside the past hour or so trying to figure what to do with himself. He played with his phone for a bit, biting his lip in thought, and he didn't know whether or not communicating on a personal level with people was part of the rules.

He looked around for a bit, slightly annoyed, before looking back at his phone.

"Oh fuck this." He murmured, and quickly dialed a number before bringing the phone up to his ear. He tapped his foot impatiently, before a thick British accent greeted him not so kindly in a sleepy tone.

"What the hell do you think you're doin' mate? It's fuckin' 4 am in the bloody mornin' and you're callin' me for some god damn reason an'-"

"How long do I have to do this for?"

"Do what now?"

Matthew growled. "You know what I mean. Finding these people and helping them out and some crap, you're supposed to be helping me 'mate' and you weren't too clear on what I was supposed to accomplish. I don't even know who they are for God's sake."

"I thought we went over this already."

"But Arthur-"

"We'll discuss this in the morning."

Matthew sighed, wondering how he got stuck with this piece of work called Arthur Kirkland. "It is morning."

Arthur groaned. "Oh shut the hell up. I mean at a decent time. Come over at 9 am and we'll talk, alright Matthew?"

Matthew grumbled loudly, before nodding. "Fine, I'll call you when I'm there."

He hung up without a goodbye, and he wondered if life would be easier if he didn't have this second chance.

Better than being dead, he supposes.


End file.
